Human T2R38 Bitter Taste Receptor Expression and COVID-19: From Immunity to Prognosis

Background: bitter taste-sensing type 2 receptor (t2rs or tas2rs) found on ciliated epithelial cells and solitary chemosensory cells have a role in respiratory tract immunity. t2rs have shown protection against sars-cov-2 by enhancing the innate immune response. the purpose of this review is to outline the current sphere of knowledge regarding this association. methods: a narrative review of the literature was done by searching (t2r38 or bitter taste receptor) and (covid-19 or sars-cov-2) keywords in pubmed and google scholar. results: t2r38, an isoform of t2rs encoded by the tas2r38 gene, may have a potential association between phenotypic expression of t2r38 and prognosis of covid-19. current studies suggest that due to different genotypes and widespread distributions of t2rs within the respiratory tract and their role in innate immunity, treatment protocols for covid-19 and other respiratory diseases may change accordingly. based on the phenotypic expression of t2r38, it varies in innate immunity and host response to respiratory infection, systemic symptoms and hospitalization. conclusion: this review reveals that patients’ innate immune response to sars-cov- 2 could be influenced by t2r38 receptor allelic variations.